Universal public transport and utilities distribution system

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a free-standing, overhead metal structure of the suspension bridge type, in which the main platform is designed over three levels. The upper level is intended for the passage of motor vehicles. The intermediate level is intended for the transportation, transmission and distribution of all existing public utilities, as well as other possible services. The lower level is intended for an urban public transport system. Owing to its free-standing overhead design, the system of the invention can be built in cities following the layout of existing roads.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention belongs to the technological infrastructure sector of transport and logistics, and refers to a universal distributor (DUNI) of transport and public services that, through a metal cable-stayed bridge structure, integrates a public transport system, a system of transportation and distribution of public services and a vehicular road .

STATE OF THE ART

As a direct consequence of the industrial revolution in the eighteenth century, the demographic explosion of humanity that reaches currently was generated. This created a flow of people toward the cities attracted by the demand for labor, new technical advances and better living conditions than in the countryside. This is how large modern cities emerged and consolidated and, with these, a great demand for public infrastructure to organize and facilitate the daily performance of its inhabitants.

Today, several forms of public transport systems are known, including underground and elevated subway systems (more details at: http://www.plataformurbana.cl/archive/2015/09/11/los-11-mejores-sistemas-de-metro-del-mundo-segun-business-insider/) They stand out as the oldest meter, the one of London, inaugurated on Jan. 9, 1863; as the most extensive underground subway in the world, New York with 1,062 km of tracks; with the largest number of stations in Paris with 298 stops and the one in Beijing, which is the most frequent train, transporting an estimated 3,400 million passengers per year.

Likewise, since the last century, several systems of elevated meters were inaugurated as a better solution for large cities, ranging from Berlin in 1902, to Dubai in 2009 (more details at: http://www.bogota.gov.co/content/temas-de-ciudad/movilidad/las-razones-por-las-que-grandes-capitales-del-mundo-optaran-por-metro-elevado). The project of the elevated metro of Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia and in studies the subway of Bogotá, capital of Colombia, is currently being executed

The suspended monorail systems stands out as the most ingenious solution for the daily mobilization of people in large cities, (more details at: http.//www.structuralia.com/es/noticias-mx/25m-ferrocarriles/10001675-monorrieles-en-el-mundo). In the German city of Wuppertal, you can find the oldest suspended public transport monorail in the world, built since 1901 and which is fully operational, covering a route of 13.3 km with 20 stops. In the Japanese city of Chiba began to work, since 1988, an urban public system of suspended monorail that has two tracks, 18 stations and covers a route of 15.2 km, which classifies it as the longest suspended monorail urban system in the world and that continues to grow. In the same way there are projects in different countries, referred to this public transport system, as for example in Ecuador, Peru and Mexico.

For its part in Bogota, capital of Colombia, is a city where traffic jams are the daily bread, so its inhabitants experience great difficulties to travel to their destinations during an substantial part of the day, especially in the so-called peak times, which total more than 6 hours a day. This generates a great problem in the matter of vehicular and passenger congestion, mainly due to the increase in the number of cars and private motorcycles in recent years, in a clear tendency of its inhabitants to avoid the daily use of public transport, to a large extent due to its inadequacies and low quality in several aspects. This situation has resulted in the application of unpopular measures such as the so-called peak and plate during peak traffic times, which deprives car owners to use them freely, that is, every day and at all hours. It also begins to affect other cities, not as populous as Bogota, as is the case of the city of Cali, where due to the increase in traffic in critical areas and the state of the transport infrastructure, has caused the implementation of the peak and plate system for motorcycles and encourage greater use of bicycles as a means of transportation.

On Aug. 4, 2016, in the Colombian newspaper El Pais, comments were made by Mr. Luis Fernando Andrade, president of the National Infrastructure Agency, within the framework of the First International Congress of Business and Accounting Business Law, held in Cartagena, where he pointed out that Colombia is advancing in an accelerated way to become more competitive and to be able to get out of the decades of delay in the transport infrastructure and that is why they are investing nearly 70 billion pesos in projects throughout the country.

Hence, all these problems and technological booms are reflected in different systems patented to date on this sector of public transport infrastructure and freight. Taking into consideration those that by their degree of similarity mark a precedent of the present invention are cited:

The patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,186 requested on May 15, 1968 and published on May 12, 1970 of the inventor Maurice Barthalon, which presents a conveyor comprising a continuous beam that serves as a track, with at least one automobile suspended and mobile along of said track and provided with drive means for imparting movement thereto and a sub atmospheric air pressure support system comprising at least one support chamber with a non-vertical supporting wall of said track, sealing means carried by said carriage and air extraction means connected to said support chamber. This proposal is about a suspended monorail system with a kind of pneumatic locomotion mechanism, which besides offering limited transportation capacity, does not integrate other transport systems.

The patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,576 requested on Dec. 7, 1998 and published on Feb. 6, 2001, of the inventor Einar Svensson, which deals with a monorail system on beam for transporting passengers and light cargo, which provides a support structure with a essentially planar upper surface and a stabilizer guide rail having a vertical beam part supporting the upper part. This system works equally well with a variety of vehicle propulsion and suspension systems, including electromechanical, magnetic levitation or linear electric motors. In this condition, the patent does not include the integration of other transportation systems, as is the case with the majority of monorail systems and elevated meters.

The patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,857 requested on Jun. 7, 2000 and published on Apr. 2, 2002 of the inventor John Kauffman, addresses a transportation system that allows passengers to travel at high speeds in relation to automotive traffic, allowing each passenger to select his or her destination individually, the trip begins when a carrier is available and travels with or without his own car. This system includes, in turn, a system of guides that connect several stations, so that a passenger can travel from a station of origin, through the guides, to a station of destination of choice and where each guide consists of lanes parallels that hold support magnets. While the conveyors have supports that extend horizontally with support magnets and can be designed in a variety of ways and be equipped with numerous amenities. This solution is based on a rather personalized transport system, with a limited work capacity to assimilate the large volumes of transportation required in high traffic schedules, and besides, it is not integrated with other transport systems.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The universal distributor (DUNI) proposed, is a cable-stayed bridge-type metal structure, where its main platform physically and functionally integrates the three levels of which it is composed. In FIG. 1 these three levels are observed, which include a monorail system of wagons suspended for public transport and cargo; a system of transportation and distribution of public services and a vehicular road. In the physical and functional integration of these three systems, in a single structure, lies the novelty of the present invention.

The main platform that makes up the universal distributor, is located at a minimum height of 12 m above ground level and is supported by pillars (4) on both sides. The dimensions of the pillars will be in correspondence with the total weight of the distributor at the most critical work moment. This platform consists of a modularity of 60 meters, that is, to save longitudinally up to 60 m distance among pillars as a maximum and is aided by four cables as braces (5), two on each side of the platform. The pillars are placed on both sides, both in width and along the road on which it is decided to build the structure or other new paths, requiring very small areas of land for assembly and operation.

The design of this distributor is very flexible due to its great capacity to adapt to the dimensions and requirements of the existing roads on which it is decided to build the structure, because these can vary from four lanes, to large highways of several lanes in each direction , as seen in FIG. 3, or of the topography of the selected terrain in case of new layouts. This is due to its modular structure based on pillars that can be conveniently located both in width and width. along the road on which it is decided to build the structure.

The three levels of the distributor are listed separately below:

On the first level, which starts from 6 meters above the ground surface, a monorail system suspended for public transport is available. The wagons are electrically self-propelled, and they hang on a monorail, which simultaneously constitutes one of the longitudinal beams (6) of the structure of the main platform, and along its lower end has on both sides of the lane where the beveled metal wheels of the electric traction system of the wagons move.

The electric traction system is fed through outlet bands fixed laterally to the beams of the monorail where the set of movable brushes moves. This system is made up of the entire metallic support structure of the monorail wagons (7) and the electric traction semi-electric modules. The support structure has a mechanical device (8) coupled to the cylinder heads of the traction modules, to guarantee the stability of both modules during the moments of acceleration, running and braking. It also allows to correctly assimilate the turns required by the wagons at the ends of each closed circuit of the route, where the moments of maximum curvature of the monorail are found (9).

The passenger carriages are 3 m wide, 2.7 m high and 16 m long, with an approximate load capacity of up to 200 passengers and will travel at a maximum speed of 80 km per hour. Cargo cars generally have the same upper structure as passenger cars, except that in this case there are four electromechanical lifting groups conveniently located to operate containers of 20 and 40 feet. They also have a cabin for two operators, and the rest of its structure is a cage designed with the dimensions and locking mechanisms and safe to house and fix inside the containers previously described.

All the wagons of the distributor will have safety and evacuation systems in case of emergencies that may arise, in such a way that the height above the ground to which the wagons work is never a problem for the safety of the passengers. Its operation will be automated and constantly monitored by an operator on board in his cabin as well as a virtual office in the operations center. This operator in certain emergencies can take manual control of all functions.

They also have the option to work in the convoy system, that is to say in sets, which can be two or three wagons maximum in line, always starting from the resting position. In these cases the connection between wagons will be wireless, in such a way that the front wagon will operate in “master” mode, and those that follow will be in “slave” mode, this means that all the actions taken by the first wagon will be replicated and adapted in real time by those who follow, having to guarantee an average distance between them that matches the locations of the doors at the stations.

The ordinary wagons will have two doors on each side, as shown in presented in FIG. 15, in such a way that when they arrive at an express-type station, passengers can directly access it through the two doors on their left side. Similarly, the other can be accessed from one station through the same car, if circumstances permit. If it is not possible to pass through the car by the number of passengers at those times, then the passing through the passage over the road, normally designed for this operation, will be available.

The passenger stations of the system, according to their function, are divided into three types:

-   -   1. Current: will be located on the outer edge of the structure         on the sidewalks or side of the road, and will serve the wagons         that stop at all stations. All the access of people to the         public transport system from the ground will always be through         them, by a small area designed to occupy the smallest possible         surface of soil, maintaining a high capacity of access and         circulation of passengers in an orderly and controlled manner     -   2. Express: they will be located parallel, on the inside of the         current stations. They will serve simultaneously, that is, on         both sides, the ordinary wagons that stop at all stations on         their right side, and the express wagons that only stop at         certain predetermined sections, on their left side, always         oriented in the direction of the wagons, thus allowing the         direct transshipment of the passengers between both types of         lines.     -   3. Trunk: These will be located at the intersections of two         structures, which will always be uneven, that is, one structure         will pass over the other. It consists of two expressly         superimposed stations, and will allow passengers to change their         structure or line without leaving the system when their final         destinations require it.

These three types of stations have an upper passage that joins the stations located on both sides of the road, which allows passengers to select the required wagons without leaving the system, and passers-by to cross the structure on the road safely without taking risks for their lives. The express and trunk stations, due to their size and number of passengers, will conveniently dispose of services annexed to the distributor facilitated by their elevated design, such as food platforms, related shops, associated parking lots, service pumps, heliports and others.

All this allows a greater integration of the services required by the people. In the case of the associated parking lots, besides being a service as an added value for the distributor, it favors and encourages an authentic and healthy integration between the use of private cars and public transport. In the same way one of its routes could be assigned as a cycle route with all the security guarantees for its users.

This monorail system suspended for public transport, offers a high efficiency in the consumption of electricity, as it is integrated into the electrical transmission and distribution system, which additionally guarantees a very low ecological impact, by generating zero carbon dioxide emissions for its operation. In addition, it offers a high and effective capacity of work, based on its possibilities of increasing or decreasing the frequency of wagons depending on the demand. Having a frequency of up to three wagons per minute in each line per station during peak hours. At the points of entry of the distributor to the city, the access problems regarding mobility that could exist before the start of their operation would be solved.

Likewise, this distributor consists of a center of management offices, administration, supervision and control, which will be located at its ends. In these centers there is an entire attached structure from where, through a sliding platform (10), the entrance and exit of the wagons to the public transport system is controlled and managed according to the demand of the maximum demand schedules. It is also in this structure where all the wagons will be temporarily parked and all the cleaning, maintenance and repairs will be carried out.

The sliding platform, through which the operation of entry and exit of the wagons to the system will be performed, has a maximum operating capacity of up to 6 wagons simultaneously in an approximate time loop of 2 minutes to complete the operation. Optionally in these centers there will be a virtual room that will have all the technological support required so that each car can be supervised and managed virtually by remote control, if so required.

In the second level, a system of technological conduits attached to the structure of the platform is conceived, allowing simultaneously to transport, distribute and dispose of general public services and other optional services first hand, as well as to reorganize and enhance the totally buried distribution through its pillars.

This system runs through the same structure as the main platform. Its design divides in two halves the frontal surface of the transverse beams of the structure, in such a way that the installation of the ducts is made through the upper half of the front surface of the beams, reserving the lower half to allow entry or the exit of all the required conduits, either for income or service derivations.

In this way it is achieved that all the distribution of services in the areas surrounding the distributor is through underground routes in the ground, avoiding the use of poles for both electrical and telecommunication distributions. In the same sense, the existence of poles for public lighting is not required, because this function is also assumed by the same structure of the distributor (11). These technological conduits will be built according to the standards and technical requirements of each public service to be transported and distributed. Here is a brief description of each public service separately:

1. Electrical system: it can transport the whole range of the electrical system, that is, the high, medium and low voltage, which allows simultaneously to obtain first hand and with the highest possible efficiency the most suitable voltage to feed the electrical system of propulsion of the wagons of the public service. Assuming through its own network of transformers, all the industry, commercial and residential distribution of the surrounding areas to the passage of the distributor, and interconnecting other networks within the city.

2. Telecommunications system: it has a network of fiber optic cables, including all technological cabinets designed to assume with total reliability and reserves, the highest quality and performance requirements required for communications, both for the correct functioning of the system automated public transport, as to provide a stable and solid Wi-Fi network to the entire distributor and the surrounding residential areas. Through the pillars it is allowed to enhance the network of cellular antennas, due to its height, which will always be greater than 20 meters. All this system can be constituted in a high quality platform that can be managed and negotiated as support for all operators in the city, interested in a better service.

3. Aqueduct system: it has a network of conductors and distributors, with its automated system of protections, rebounds and valves required for its correct operation. In this way the water supply and distribution in the distributor and the surrounding areas is guaranteed. In the same way, existing networks can be interconnected in the city and improve their performance and quality in the service. Simultaneously, it supplies and feeds the distributor's fire system according to all the required technical standards.

4. Natural gas system: it has an automated network of specialized pipes and valves for the safe transportation of residential and vehicular natural gas, and all the derivations required for industrial, commercial and residential distribution.

5. Optional: a network could be designed and operated for the transportation and distribution of fuels under the security and protection standards required to guarantee the supply of existing service pumps to the distributor structure, and thus supply all remaining ones. included in the surrounding areas.

In addition to these general public service systems, the duct system can be used for specific uses, always complying with the required safety standards, and protecting the environment.

Level three has a road for light cars, ambulances, freight distribution cars and others, whose gross weight does not exceed 3 tons and its height above the floor does not reach 3 meters. It is a synthetic road built for high performance in terms of amplitude and road safety. All accesses have an electronic toll system that will ensure compliance with the fundamental parameters required for vehicles to enter the system, and additionally the commercial technical requirements determined by the administration of the distributor.

Because this roadway does not have intercepts at the level of each other, its general design is oriented so that the vehicular traffic is very fluid and agile, so that by its interior lanes, that is to the side of the separator, the circulation can be high speeds, at approximately 100 km per hour, without this implying risks of accidents. And the rest of the lanes are designed so that the vehicles during their entry, circulation and exit of the distributor, do not have to stop their march at some time, except for reasons of force majeure, such as traffic accidents, mechanical failures or natural phenomena.

The constructive system of this distributor can be very compact and agile, since it is only necessary to build from the ground, the first 180 m of the structure, because from that moment a kind of mother crane can be installed on the same structure. continue the assembly of the rest of the structure along the entire route, advancing on the construction, and only be required to run on the ground, the excavations of the foundations for the assembly of the pillars, as well as some specific support required by the assembly operations in support of the mother crane.

In a general sense, the present invention offers a very compact and functional physical integration concept between public and vehicular transportation, by placing them on the same platform, as well as including, and with dual purpose, the transportation and distribution of almost all general public services, which makes a big difference with respect to the main transport systems and their infrastructures known to date. This is an integral solution for the major problems of urban public transport, transportation and distribution of public services and for vehicular mobility in large cities. In the same way opening the possibility of being applied to make new tracings in the open field, or to connect existing roads between them.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. Schematic of basic frontal elevation of the universal distributor (DUNI) of transports and services.

FIG. 2. Scheme of lateral elevation of the universal distributor (DUNI) of transports and services.

FIG. 3. Scheme of frontal elevation of express-current lines.

FIG. 4. Scheme of the traction system on straight monorail.

FIG. 5. Scheme of the traction system on curved monorail.

FIG. 6. Scheme of frontal elevation of the structure of mechanical sustentation of the wagons to the monorails.

FIG. 7. Diagram of lateral elevation of the mechanical support structure of the wagons to the monorails.

FIG. 8. Side view diagram of the traction module.

FIG. 9. Detail of side view of the mechanical device for the control of the cylinder heads of the traction modules.

FIG. 10. Scheme of lateral elevation of current type station.

FIG. 11. Detail of the current type station.

FIG. 12. Detail of an express type station.

FIG. 13. Outline of trunk type station.

FIG. 14. Schematic of the passenger access door to the stations.

FIG. 15. Detail in plan of the common wagons with their double accesses lateral

FIG. 16. Outline plan of the tracings of the monorails.

FIG. 17. Outline plan of the center of management, administration and control of the distributor.

FIG. 18. Detail of the transportation system and distribution of public services.

FIG. 19. Scheme of the vehicular road.

FIG. 20. Schematic plan of the main access to the vehicular road.

FIG. 21. Scheme of lateral elevation of the main access to the vehicular road.

FIG. 22. Detailed of the secondary accesses to the vehicular road on site.

FIG. 23. Scheme of lateral elevation of the secondary accesses to the vehicular road.

FIG. 24. Scheme of elevation of the wagons of load with their systems of lifting.

FIG. 25. Elevation diagram of the loading and unloading of the wagons.

FIG. 1 shows the front view of the distributor, where a first level (1) is observed, from which there is a monorail system of suspended wagons for public transport and loads, which starts from 6 m height above ground level in a second level (2), located 12 meters high, the lower part of the main platform begins, through which runs a system of technological conduits for the transportation and distribution of public services and other optional services. On the third level (3), and on the upper surface of the main structure, there is a vehicular road.

The wagons are electrically self-propelled and depend on a monorail, which simultaneously constitutes one of the longitudinal beams (6) of the structure of the main platform, and which along its lower end has both sides of the lane, where they move the beveled metal wheels of the electric traction system of the wagons. The luminaires of the public lighting system (11), will be supported by the same structure of the distributor.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the distributor, in which its general structure is observed, composed of the main platform supported by the pillars (4), modularly separated at 60 m, aided by the tie rods (5).

FIG. 3 shows the design flexibility of the distributor to adapt to the requirements of the roads on which it is decided to build it. In this case it is a frontal view of an express current line, due to the width of the highway on which the conception of the system is shown.

FIG. 4 shows the traction system on the monorail at its straight time, and the electrical power system through outlet bands where the set of movable brushes moves.

FIG. 5 shows the traction system on the monorail at its moment of maximum curvature.

FIG. 6 presents the front view of the metallic support structure (7) of the wagons to the monorail, which includes the traction modules.

FIG. 7 shows the side view of the support structure, where its coupling to the electric traction semi-electric modules can be observed. The location of the mechanical device (8), coupled to the heads of the traction modules, is also indicated, to ensure the stability of both modules during acceleration, running and braking.

FIG. 8 shows the traction module, which within its cylindrical structure contains mechanically integrated to the electric motor, with its transmission mechanism and brake system, coupled to the metal wheel chamfered by its internal edge.

FIG. 9 details the inside of the mechanical device for the control of the cylinder heads of the traction modules. This mechanical device allows to correctly assimilate the turns required by the wagons at the ends of each closed circuit of the route, where the moments of maximum curvature of the monorail are found (9), as can be seen in FIG. 16.

FIG. 10 shows the side view of the current type stations and FIG. 11 the plan view of these current type stations.

FIG. 12 shows the plan view of the express type stations. Its lateral view is covered by the same side view of the current stations, for this reason only its plan view appears.

FIG. 13 shows the full span of the trunk type stations, located on the uneven intersection of two structures.

FIG. 14 shows the design of the passenger access doors to the stations, which guarantees the entry and exit process in an orderly, controlled and agile manner, in addition to ensuring, to a large extent, the payment of the ticket on the part of the passengers of system users.

FIG. 15 exemplifies the functional design of the passenger current carriages, which have on each side two doors of 3 m wide with two symmetrical sheets each and opening and closing system by sliding in floor and wall.

FIG. 16 presents the plan view of the outline of the tracings of the monorails, which are designed so that the displacement of the wagons is in one direction and in closed circuits without interceptions between both tracings or derivations.

FIG. 17 shows the plan view of the structures of the area where the central offices of management, control and supervision of the entire operation of the public transport system and the distributor in general. As part of this structure, the sliding platform (10) is shown by means of which the maneuvers of entry and exit of the wagons to the public transport system are executed.

FIG. 18 shows the concept of the technological duct system, running through the structure of the main platform, and its capacity to perform the derivations required by the different services through the pillars to the underground distribution system.

FIG. 19 shows the basic vehicular road running the length and width of the upper surface of the main platform.

FIG. 20 presents a plan view of the main access to the road, which are located at the ends of the structure, which will usually be located on the outskirts of cities. This access has a toll system to control the correct entry of vehicles into the system (12).

FIG. 21 shows a side view of the main access to the road, located on the outskirts of the city.

FIG. 22 shows a plan view of a secondary access point to the roadway along the structure. It is also possible to observe the location of the unevenness returns (14), which will allow the interconnection between uneven structures and the changes of direction of the vehicles, without stopping the march. These accesses also have a toll system to control the entry of vehicles into the system (13).

FIG. 23 shows the side view of the secondary access point to the roadway.

FIG. 24 shows a side view of the loading wagon.

FIG. 25 shows a side view of the operation of the lifting system of a freight car, based on a brief and simple lifting operation, either from the ground or from the direct surface of a truck bed, both for the processes of loading as the discharge. 

1. Universal transport and public services distributor that uses a system of monorails for suspended carriages for public transport (1), a system for the transportation and distribution of general public services (2) and a road for vehicular traffic (3), characterized by its general design, which is conceived in a single cable-stayed bridge-type metal structure, supported by pillars (4) and tie-rods (5), in whose main platform the three systems, located in three vertically superimposed levels, are integrated and functionally interrelated
 2. Universal distributor of public transport and services, according to claim 1, characterized by the design of the structure of its main platform, where simultaneously the longitudinal beams (6), constitute the monorail where the wheels of the electric self-propulsion system of wagons suspended from the public transport system.
 3. Universal distributor of public transport and services, according to claim 1, characterized by the design of the support structures and self-propelled electric modules of the wagons (7)
 4. Universal distributor of public transport and services, according to claim 1, characterized by the use of a mechanical device for controlling and reversing the movements of the cylinder heads of the electric traction modules of the wagons (8).
 5. Universal transport and public service distributor with administration centers and general control of the public transport system, characterized by its sliding platform (10) that allows the wagons to enter and exit the public transport system in an agile and safe way.
 6. Universal transport and public services distributor, according to claim 1, characterized by the design of its third level (3), constituted by a carriageway for semi-light vehicles, where there are no level intersections, which is why cars will never have to stop their march, except for reasons of force majeure.
 7. Universal distributor of public transport and services, according to claim 1, characterized by the design of three types of stations for public transport, a stream, an express and a trunk, which require a small area of land and allow a correct and functional circulation of the passengers, with harmony between the three types of stations.
 8. Universal transport and public services distributor, according to claim 7, characterized by the revolving doors for the control of access of passengers to the stations 